2021 Fundamentals of Effective Grantmaking

This session will introduce key philanthropic frameworks and provide an overview of emerging grantmaking trends. Speakers will also share best practices for facilitating and reviewing proposals during emergencies and standard cycles and developing partnerships with other funders. Participants will study case study examples of grants made before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. This session is from 9:45 AM - 12:30 PM PST.

At the heart of effective grantmaking is the acknowledgment that grantees’ work enables funders to achieve their missions. This session will explore how philanthropy can build stronger relationships with grantees to both achieve their missions and strengthen the work and impact of our nonprofit partners. We will consider why relationships matter, the core values that drive strong relationships, and some key moments ripe for relationship-building. We will also hear directly from nonprofit leaders about their experiences navigating the sometimes-delicate terrain between funder and grantees. This session is from 9:45 AM - 12:30 PM PST.

Do you find that reading financial statements causes your eyes to glaze over or your stomach to knot? This participatory workshop will provide practical hands-on experience and resources to understand nonprofit financial materials from a programmatic perspective. Participants will discover what the rows and columns of numbers and other components reveal about an organization’s strengths, priorities, management, and challenges. We will discuss both audited financial statements and IRS 990 tax returns. In addition, there will be a small group activity. This session is from 9:45 AM - 12:30 PM PST.

Philanthropy operates within a complex, interconnected civic landscape — working alongside business, government, nonprofit institutions, and academia. These other sectors can seem foreign to many of us, none more so than government entities, most of whom spend more money on any given issue than all of philanthropy combined. Public policy, politics, and advocacy have simultaneously earned a bleak image of ineffectiveness and corruption or a comedic cynical view of government. The reality, however, paints a vastly different picture. Through this interactive session, learn the rules of engagement for effectively moving your foundations’ agenda forward. We will explore the fundamentals of advocacy and its critical function in advancing the goals of philanthropy in public policy by discussing the importance of public policy, communicating your policy preferences, and collaborating with the government. This session is from 9:45 AM - 12:30 PM PST.

This interactive workshop will help participants tap into their inner potential and become more adaptable, resilient, and effective leaders by aligning their values with their ambitions. Participants will learn best practices in developing greater self-awareness, self-reflection, and social capital — all through a multicultural approach and in the context of dynamic change. This session is from 9:45 AM - 12:30 PM PST.

Many common practices in philanthropy continue to drive injustice and sustain power imbalances in the communities they are trying to serve. This session includes a plenary discussion that will explore the historical context of inequity in grantmaking and offer examples of how funders can center equity in their work regardless of their role in an organization. Additionally, participants will be able to reflect and draw on the experiences of other philanthropic peers and together envision an equity-centered future. This session is from 9:45 AM - 12:30 PM PST. Additional panelists will be announced soon.

The past year’s challenges have illuminated that philanthropy relies heavily on partnership, dialogue, and transparency with nonprofits and communities. It’s also highlighted a need for grantmakers to reexamine traditional practices in the service of a healthier and more equitable nonprofit sector. This shift has given way to a growing movement toward trust-based philanthropy — an approach to grantmaking that seeks to redistribute power interpersonally, organizationally, and systemically. In this session, you'll learn more about the purpose and vision of trust-based philanthropy, the core grantmaking practices that constitute a trust-based approach, and how it intersects with organizational values, culture, structures, and leadership. This session is from 9:45 AM - 12:30 PM PST.